Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) who had arrested Arvind Kale, General Manager and Project Director National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Sunday in a bribery case, said that three more senior officials of NHAI had allegedly received bribes from the accused persons related to the private company in lieu of issuance of completion certificates, processing of bills, smooth progression of awarded works, etc. in various road projects awarded by NHAI. Two more NHAI officials have been arrested by the CBI in the said case, officials said on Monday. Also cash seizure in the case has reached Rs 2 crore after further searches.
The arrested officials are Rajendra Kumar Gupta and Hemant Kumar.
The CBI had registered a case against officials of NHAI, M/s Bansal Construction Works Pvt Ltd, a Bhopal based private company, five private persons including two Directors and employees of the said company and unknown others on allegations that Directors of a the Bhopal based comopany have been delivering bribes to various public servants of NHAI through their employees in lieu of issuance of completion certificates, processing of bills, smooth progression of awarded works, etc. in various road projects awarded by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
"Source information has been received that Anil Bansal and Kunal Bansal, directors of the private company have also been paying bribe amounts to Rajendra Kumar Gupta, Deputy General Manager & Project Director, NHAI, Bhopal, through their employee Nitin Rajak, for expediting the payment of pending bills. Source has also informed that on 07.02.2024, Nitin Rajak visited the office of Rajendra Kumar Gupta and delivered him the bribe amount for clearing the payment of pending bills. Source has further informed that on 08.02.2024, Nitin Rajak reported Kunal Bansal that he delivered bribe amount of Rs 8 lakhs to Rajendra Gupta and thus all his (Gupta's) demanded bribe dues have been cleared," said a CBI official.
He added, "Source has further informed that Anil Bansal and Kunal Bansal have also been paying bribe amounts to Hemant Kumar, Project Director, NHAI, Vidisha, MP, through their employee TMS Rao, for processing the payment mobilization advance of the Vidisha project. Source has also informed that the Directors of the company have also been paying bribe amounts to Brijesh Kumar Sahu, Deputy General Manager & Project Director, NHAI, Harda, MP, through TMS Rao, for clearing their pending matters including the processing of pending bills. Source has also informed that on 27.02.2024, TMS Rao delivered the bribe amount to Hemant Kumar at his Vidisha residence, whereas on 28.02.2024, he delivered the bribe amount of Rs 20.5 lakhs to Brijesh Kumar Sahu at his Harda residence."
